Being a parent to your kids is hard enough. Caring for your parents on top of your own children is next level difficult. Doing it from another city is cosmic revenge.

Fortunately, there are many new technologies that can help keep you closer to your parents from a distance while keeping them safe and independent.

Safety

Perhaps our number one concern is whether our parents are safe, especially if they live alone. Falls are the number one accident among older adults. Caused by a host of factors such as tripping, slipping, low blood pressure, fainting, to name a few. To give yourself and your parent peace of mind, an affordable life alert can be a good solution. Medical alert systems allow you to press help in the event of a fall, and even has features like automatic fall detection, and coverage in and outside the home to provide even more protection.

Other helpful safety technologies are front door cameras, in-home cameras, GPS, motion sensors and remote door access control. These technologies can help you determine your parents are healthy from afar. But perhaps just as importantly, they can help you keep an eye on anyone coming into their home and deter abuse.

Communication

It’s never been easier to stay in touch with your parents than it is today. Keeping in touch daily can be a huge help in avoiding loneliness.

A simple text, call, or facetime a couple of times a day can mean the world. Maybe your kids can call them at bed time and give them a kiss good night or on the way to school in the morning. Perhaps your parents can read them a bedtime story. You can also send some videos from the kids soccer or baseball game, piano recital or play or a picture of a test or quiz result.

Remote Health

Many doctors are now encouraging their patients to use wearable health monitors. Keep track of your parent’s blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels and so much more through remote caregiving apps.

You can also schedule your parents medication reminders (and anything else frankly) through their smartwatch or smart speakers. If you have concerns about your parents taking the right medications in the right dosages you can even get them an automated medication dispenser!

Smart Home

Another thing you can do to help your parents out is automate home functions through smart home technologies. 

For example, you can remote control the home alarm, door lock, heating, air conditioning and lights all from your phone. You can get a smart fridge with cameras inside to make sure they have enough food. You can also get safety devices that turn off the stove after inactivity or motion censored taps that prevent flooding but also help those with severe arthritis!

When you want to introduce some of these new technologies to your parents, try not to force it on them. Make it a discussion. Be empathetic. Don’t make them feel like you’re invading their space and controlling them from afar. The whole purpose is to increase their comfort, independence and piece of mind.